Tightener.



U. B, NELSON.

TIGHTENER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 23, 1912.

. Patented June 3, 1913.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES B. NELsoN, or LINDSBTTOVRG, KANSAS.

. TIGHTENER.

To KIZZ'ICILOH'I. it may concern:

Be it knownthat- I, CHARLES B. NELSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lindsborg, in the county of McPherson and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and-useful In'iproveiiients inTigliteners, of which the following is a specification, refercnce being had to the accompanyinghdrawings.

This invention comprehends certain new and useful improvements in tighteners,-and relates particularly to an improved tightener for use in connection with tire chains, although it is to be understood that the iiiveiition is not limited in this regard.

The invention has for its primary object a simple, durable and efficient construction of tightener, by the use of which the tire chain may be easily secured in place and held tightly in position around a tire, whereby the wheel will be prevented from slipping around in the chain, as often happens when a chain is loose and the wheel encounters deep iiiiid or heavy snow.

The invention also has for its object an improved construction of tightener of this character, the parts of which may be cheaply manufactured and readily assembled, and which will be strong and not liable to get out of order. And the invention also-f aims to generally improve devices of this class and to render them more useful and commercially desirable.

With these and other objects in view, as

will more fully appear as the description.

proceeds, the invention consists in certain constructions, arrangements and combinations of the parts that I shall hereinafter fully describe and claim.

For a full understanding of the invention, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawing, in which,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a'portion of a wheel and a tire shown thereon illushating the application of my invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of the device detached, illustrating the parts in the initial position they assume in tightening and securing the tire chain in place. Fig. 3 is a similar view partly broken away, illustrating the second position, and, Fig. 4: is a view similar to Fig. 3, illustrating the third position of the parts just preparatory to detaching the handle rod and slipping the bail over the relatively free end of the latch.

Specification of Letters Patent. i

Application filed'March 23, 1312.

seriaiimessysai Corresponding andlike parts are referred -to in the following description and designatedin the accompanying drawing by like reference characters."

My in'iproved tightener "includes a pair of plates or bars '1 mounted in laterally spaced relation to each other and secured to get-herin the present embodiment of the invention by end rivetsQ and an-intermedi'ate rivet 3. 5 Pivotally mounted on one ofthe end rivets 2 between the plates 1, is a link 4 designed for engagement with oneend of a tire chain, as clearly illustratedin Fig. 1, and on the other end rivet 2, acurved latch 5 is pivotally mounted, said latch being returned upon itself to form a preferably tapered shank 6 which is formed at its extremity with a laterally extending lug 7.

The link at the other end of the tire chain is I/ designed to be slipped over this shank 6' of the latch 5 and be finally lodged in the bent or crook of the latch, as clearly illustrated in the drawing. 1

In connection with the latch 5, I preferably employ a hand rod 8 which is tubular at shank 6 after the latch has been moved to relatively closed position.

From the foregoing description in connection with the accompanying drawing, the operation of my improved tightener will be apparent.

In the practical. use of the device, the hand rod 8 is mounted upon the shank 6, and one of the links of the tire chain is slipped over the rod, preferably to the initial position illustrated in Fig. 2. The rod is then swung inwardly and the said link slipped downwardly, as illustrated in Fig. 3, until the link slips into the crook or bend of the latch, as illustrated in Fig. 4, whereupon the chain will be held taut and under proper tension. In order to lock the parts in this position and prevent the accidental opening of the tightener, the bail can be swung over the shank 6 of the latch, as illustrated in Fig. 1.

Patented June 3,1211 3.

While the.aeeumpaurine drawing illusl lerstood that the invention is not limited -thereto. but that YZIIIOUS changes may be made 'in the construction, arrangement and from the scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claim A tig'htener of thecharacter described embodying laterally spaced plates, end rivets and an intermediate rivet connecting said plates'hxgether. a link and .a curved latch pivotally mounted on the opposite end rivets, 'said-linlpand wlate-h being mounted between the plates, thereby spacing them, said ilat cli having va free end'formed atits extremity with a lug, said intermediate rivet extendingbeyond the opposite sides of the tightener, and a substantially U-shapcd hail, the opposite ends of said bail extending over the outer sides of said plates and engaging the opposite ends of the intermediate proportions at the parts wlthoutdeparting rivet. the free end of the latch being of a length to occupy a position in proximity to the bail. whereby the extremity of said latch and its lug may be engaged with the intermediate portion of said bail bet-ween the plates.

In testimony whereof I hereunto atlix my signature in the presence of two witnesses. CHARLES B. NELSON. \Vitnesses i C. A. PETERSON, G. EDWIN JOHNSON. 

